The Canadian Rockies: Banff National Park, Lake Louise & Jasper National Park

March 29, 2023

The Canadian Rocky Mountains is comprised of both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies. This is the segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. The Canadian Rockies have high peaks and ranges and are comprised of shale and limestone. Most of the mountain range is protected by national and provincial parks, many of which make up a World Heritage Site.

Geography:

The Canadian Rockies are the easternmost part of the Canadian Cordillera, the collective name for the mountains of Western Canada.

Rivers:

The Canadian Rockies are the source of several major river systems; some also within the range itself. The Rockies form the divide between the Pacific Ocean drainage on the west and Hudson River and the Artic Ocean on the east. Rivers originating in the Canadian Rockies include Fraser, North Saskatchewan, Columbia, Bow and Athabasca Rivers.

Parks:

Five national parks are located within the Canadian Rockies. The four adjacent ones are Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, and Yoho. Waterton, the fifth national park is not adjacent to the others but is further south and is the Canadian half of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park.

The mountain range is amazing and in 1984, all five parks, as well as three British Columbia provincial parks, combined, were named as a single UNESCO World Heritage Site.

BANFF NATIONAL PARK

Words are inadequate to describe the breathtaking, and awe-inspiring natural beauty of Banff National Park. It is the most visited Alberta tourist destination and one of the most visited national parks in North America. It is Canada’s oldest national park and was established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park. It is located in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, 128 km west of Calgary and 401 km southwest of Edmonton. The park accommodations open all year and mammal species such as the grizzly bear, cougar, wolverine, elk, bighorn sheep and moose can be found on the way to the park and in the park itself.

BANFF

Banff is the main commercial centre of the park. There are several cultural centres to visit such as Banff Centre, Whyte Museum, the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum, Cave and Basin National Historic Site and many galleries. The town has a wealth of outdoor pursuits like mountain biking, hiking and skiing, as well as charming boutiques with a wide selection of items. There is also the Banff hot springs to unwind after a day of hiking and biking. Of course, walking down Banff Avenue is a treat not to be missed as you check out the shops, museums, and the restaurants. To top this all, you are surrounded by the mountains!

Anecdote:

I once belonged to a group that had their annual women’s retreat in Banff for ten years in a row. Being a city slicker, I wasn’t too keen on spending one whole weekend in the “bushes”, I complained the first year. Somehow, I was talked into signing up for the retreat. We drove from Edmonton for three hours, which I slept most of the way. However, the trip got a bit more exciting when we stopped for ice cream which was supposed to be the best for miles around. After skirting around Calgary, we headed for Banff.

Even after all these years, I still remember my first sight of the Rocky Mountains! They were beautiful to behold! So majestic as they stretched never ending, it seemed, toward the sky. And the clouds! Oh the clouds. It seemed I could just reach up and touch them.

You might even make some new friends!

Share:

Comments

Leave the first comment